Visual Thinking in Motion: Seyoung’s inspiring Journey with MindNode.

Hi Seyoung! Could you please introduce yourself?

I'm a passionate and curious person, both personally and professionally. Personally, I've always loved storytelling through videography, photography, and self-publishing. Since 2020, I've worked in tech startups, starting as an engineer, transitioning into product management, and now serving as Director of Customer Success at Basemark, an AR software company.

I've been a visual thinker since I was young. I speak four languages: Korean (my mother tongue), English, Japanese, and Finnish. I learned the three foreign languages by visually associating concepts with positions on notebook pages. For example, I’d think “line 4 on page 5,” and my brain would draw the content for me. That’s why mind mapping has always felt so natural to me.

I’ve grown both personally and professionally through MindNode over the past decade. It’s become an essential part of how I think, plan, and build. I deeply appreciate the team behind it and want to see MindNode thrive for many years to come — it truly plays a meaningful role in my life.

When and how did you discover mind mapping?

I was first introduced to mind mapping in elementary school, when I was about 8 or 9. But it never really clicked with pen and paper — it felt too slow. That changed in 2015 when the App Store recommended MindNode. I gave it a try while writing my bachelor’s thesis, and I’ve been using it daily ever since.

And how have you used it?

Professional:

1. Prioritization
2. Whiteboarding
3. Writing & Presentations – structuring thoughts before writing or presenting
4. Framework building – defining and organizing reusable templates for different types of work

Personal:

1. Scheduling – daily, weekly, and long-term goals
2. Ideation & Planning – videography, photography, and book projects
3. Meditation – reflecting on my goals, progress, and what truly motivates me
4. Understanding & Summarizing – breaking down books, technical papers, or code repositories

How has it helped you, personally or professionally?

Simplicity & Speed

I think non-linearly and constantly jump between ideas across domains. MindNode matches my mental speed. It lets me stay in flow, connect dots, and turn abstract ideas into concrete plans — fast.

That speed is crucial because I work in a startup with offices across three continents. It's also essential for personal projects, where no one sets the deadline but me. With MindNode, I can break big goals into small, motivating wins and adjust as I go.

Clarity through Introspection

MindNode helps me understand myself and what I truly want. I use it every morning to review my priorities — both personal and professional. This keeps me focused, organized, and intentional with my time.

Focus on What Matters

MindNode helps me deconstruct problems and cut away the noise. I can clearly see what doesn’t matter and double down on what does. That clarity helps me hit the right goals fast.

Which device do you like to use MindNode on, and why?

I mainly use my MacBook Pro (for work) and MacBook Air (personal), connected to a 27-inch external display. The large screen and physical keyboard help me work quickly. When I’m away from my Macs, I use an iPhone 11. When switching between devices, I’m careful to avoid sync issues.

Do you have any MindNode features that you particularly enjoy?

• A small but essential set of features — the simplicity is a feature in itself. The MindNode team clearly understands what it takes to get into flow.
• Image attachment — a picture is worth a thousand words!
• Fold/unfold
• Copy-paste that maintains indentation — super handy for switching between MindNode and other text editors like Confluence
• Native & local — MindNode isn’t bloated or cloud-dependent, so it stays lightning fast. I often work offline while traveling, and this makes a big difference.

What makes your creativity spark?

Writing helps me clarify my thoughts. Reading books lets me experience new perspectives. Cinema teaches me storytelling, and behind-the-scenes documentaries show how teams collaborate in depth. I love listening to interviews with industry leaders on YouTube and podcasts. And last but not least, I enjoy talking with my nerdy friends, who are always working on cool hobby projects. They introduce me to new technologies and domains — and give feedback on my projects too.

Seyoung has made his MindMap with books and notes available to us. It can be downloaded here.